Our History

1951              

Fourteen families founded “North Shore Temple,” and initially held services at the former Lutheran Church on Wildwood Avenue in Whitefish Bay.    

June is the official birthday.   

Harry B. Pastor named Rabbi.   

Name “Shalom” selected.   

Membership stood at 102 families.  

1952 

Board announces $150,000 building fund drive.   

Membership grows to 339 families.   

1954 

Groundbreaking in Fox Point for Temple Shalom.   

Membership at 435 families.   

1955 

Sanctuary and classrooms dedicated fall 1954.   

First High Holy Day services held in Shalom Sanctuary.   

1959 

One hundred families resign, but membership begins to rebuild.  Hebrew now taught at Shalom.   

1962 

Permanent sanctuary seating installed.   

Expansion planning begins.   

1964 

Membership at 475 families with 600 students in the Religious School.  

Board votes for $150,000 building expansion program.  

1966 

Ground broken for expansion.   

Operating costs were at $200,000 and each family was assessed $500.   

1968                 

Dedication of extension to building.   

Cantor hired, first addition to professional staff.   

Membership at 526 families.   

1970 

Student Rabbi was Sally Priesand. She later became America's first female rabbi ordained by a rabbinical seminary, and the second formally ordained female rabbi in Jewish history.  

1973 

Membership reaches 575 families.   

First female vice-president elected to the Board.   

1978 

Sanctuary renovation begins.   

Rabbi Ronald Shapiro hired as Associate Rabbi.   

1980 

Rabbi Pastor retires and becomes Founding Rabbi.   

First woman president is elected.   

Rabbi Shapiro becomes Senior Rabbi.   

1982 

Wisconsin’s first female Rabbi, Dena Feingold, hired as Assistant Rabbi.   

1983 

David R. Pasch Meritorious Service Awards instituted.   

1985 

Assistant Rabbi Stanley Schickler hired as professional educator.  

1987 

Cantorial Soloist Karen Berman hired.   

1988 

Full-time Administrator Jerry Plotkin hired.   

1990 

Rabbi Greg Wolfe hired as Assistant Rabbi/Director of Education.   

Membership reaches 900 families.  

Board initiates expansion/renovation program.   

Congregation votes to go ahead with program.   

Board approves $1,000 fair share pledge per family.   

1992 

Rabbi Isaac Serotta hired as new Rabbi/Educator.   

The new Harry and Rose Samson Sanctuary, Eder Education Center, David L. Klurfeld Memorial Hall completed.   

1993 

Cantorial Soloist Karen Berman becomes Cantor Karen Berman.   Marc S. Cohen hired as Administrator.   

1997 

Membership reaches 1,000 families.   

1998 

Building is again remodeled to accommodate new Assistant Rabbi, Daniel Lehrman.   

Religious and Hebrew School registration reaches 500 students.   

Carol & Jim Ross are hired to serve as Interim Directors of Education beginning in June.   

1999 

Director of Education, Dr. Sherry Blumberg is hired. Membership reaches 1,100 families.   

2000 

Rabbi Shari Heinrich is hired as Assistant Rabbi.   

2002 

Rabbi Shari Heinrich promoted to Associate Rabbi, marries, and is now addressed as Rabbi Shari Shamah.  

Sally Lyne hired as Assistant Administrator. 

Marc Cohen becomes Executive Director.   

2003 

Rabbi Ronald Shapiro honored for 25 years of service.   

Sefer Torah written in his honor with help from congregants and scribe Neil Yerman.   

2004 

Congregation Shalom hires Rabbi Roxanne J.S. Shapiro as Director of Life-Long Learning. 

Sally Lyne becomes the Director of Development and Synagogue Relations.   

2005 

Wein Garden Chapel dedicated. 

Cantor Karen Berman honored for 18 years of service.  

Abby Habush Schroeder hired as the Assistant Administrator.  

2006 

The Ungar-Schick Portico is dedicated in June.  

Abby Habush Schroeder becomes the Director of Synagogue Relations.   

2007 

Rabbi Joseph W. Prass is hired as Associate Rabbi.   

2011 

Rabbi Noah Chertkoff is hired as Associate Rabbi.  

Nancy Gorens-Edelman is hired as Director of Education and Linda Holifield is hired as Executive Director.  

Congregation Shalom celebrates its 60^th Anniversary year.  

2012 

Pillar of Fire and Pillar of Cloud are designed, built and installed by Richard Edelman in honor of Rabbi Shapiro and in memory of Sam and Sylvia Edelman. In addition to Richard Edelman, the Pillars are a gift from other members of the Edelman family including Joan Edelman Spero and C. Michael Spero, Robert H. Edelman and Nancy Gorens-Edelman, James Abraham Edelman and Susan Stern Edelman.  

Membership reaches 1,046 at year-end. 

Cantor Berman celebrates 25 years of service to Congregation Shalom.  

Rabbi Marcey Rosenbaum is hired as Rabbi Educator

Rabbi Ronald Shapiro retires on June 30th after 37 years as Rabbi, serving as Senior Rabbi since 1980.

Rabbi Noah Chertkoff becomes Senior Rabbi on July 1st.

Rabbi Rachel Kaplan Marks becomes Assistant Rabbi on July 1st. 

A very generous gift from Eileen and Howard Dubner in memory of Eileen’s parents and in honor of Rabbi Shapiro. The donation allows us to purchase a state of the art sound and video system for Samson Sanctuary as well as new cameras, projectors and screens.

The Rabbi Ron and Judy Shapiro Museum of Judaica is established to honor Rabbi Ron and Judy.

Rabbi Jenn Mangold is hired as Assistant Rabbi on July 1st.

Rabbi Rachel becomes Shalom's Associate Rabbi/Director of Congregational Learning.

2020

In March, the Covid-19 virus causes Congregation Shalom to close its doors and deliver programs and services virtually.

2020 Cantor Karen Berman retires after 33 years at Congregation Shalom.

Cantor David Perper joins Congregation Shalom as of July 1, 2020

Rabbi Taylor Poslosky joins as Assistant Rabbi. 

Brian Avner becomes the Director of Congregational Learning.